Lunchables Lunch Note Promise and Party!

Come out and party with us and help support a great cause!

I think it is so important to let your kids know that you love them and are thinking about them every chance you get. Leaving little note in my sons lunchbox has been something that I have been doing since he started school 3 years ago. He loves the surprise and showing them to all of his friends. That makes me feel great to because I know he isn’t embarrassed by mom yet!

If you haven’t heard about the Oscar Mayer Lunch Note Promise campaign then allow me to fill you in! Lunchables is asking that parents do just a very simple task…promise to give a lunch note to your kids. It can be about anything that you wish! Some words of encouragement fr the big game coming up? Wishing them well on a test? How about just a simple, “I love you!”. Lunchables even has some pre-made fancy designs that you can print and use. Just click on the set you want, download the PDF to your PC,  print the set, cut out the individual notes and the rest is only limited to your imagination! Drop it in your child’s lunchbox and your done!

What could make this campaign even more special? For every parent who makes the lunch note promise, the Lunchables team will donate a meal to a child and their family in need through Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, which serves an estimated nine million children annually. The goal is to turn up to 100,000 promises from moms like you into up to 100,000 meals from Lunchables Lunch Combination’s for kids in need.  Are you ready to promise to join the campaign to give children what they need – a little encouragement? Lunchables has received over 47,000 promised to date and YOU can help them reach their goal of 100,000!

Making your promise takes less than 30 seconds. Simply visit LunchNotePromise.com, enter your state, email address and click PROMISE NOW! That’s it! While your there, check out the splash that Lunchables is making with their NEW Lunchables! There are 6 different varieties including A Turkey sandwich made from 100% turkey breast, spring water, apple sauce, and bread made with whole grain. Lunchables just got even better! Throw in the Lunch Note Promise and you’ve got something you can really feel good about.

As if helping out Feeding America wasn’t motivation enough to take the promise, you can also win some great prizes for joining us! This Thursday, Lunchables will be giving away some FANTASTIC PRIZES!

Here is what you could win!
(30) Free Full Value Lunchables Product coupons! (10 each to 3 lucky winners!)
(3) Lunchables gift packs (Lunchables book bag, lunchbox, markers, pencils/pens)
(3) Lunchables flip cams
(1) $100 Grocery  Gift Card to the store of your choice!

Be sure you are following @ElizCron. Elizabeth will will be tweeting on behalf of Lunchables, answering all of your questions at the party AND doing a little question asking of her own! (Did you study for the test at LunchNotePromise.com?) Answer her questions and you could win a prize!

ENTRY RULES FOR THE $100 GROCERY GIFT CARD

You MUST do all of the following to enter to win the GC. PLEASE LEAVE IT ALL IN ONE COMMENT.

1. Make a Lunch Note Promise, leave your promise number! If you have previously made the promise and do not know your number, tell is what note you recently left in your childs lunchbox.
2. RSVP below using Mr. Linky. You must leave  your TWITTER ID AND TWITTER LINK! No Names, No blog links!
3. Tweet about the party using the #Lunchables hashtag and this link http://is.gd/4VewA in your tweet. (Leave the link to your tweet)
4. Follow your party Hosts! @Delightful_Toni, @Chaotic_Barb, @CouponCupboard, @ElizCron

Gain a few extra Entries by doing the following. Leave these entries in separate comments!

1. Blog about LunchNotePromise.com AND the party, linking to LunchNotePromise.com AND this post and leave a comment here.
2. Grab our button and place it on your blog!

<a href=”http://thecouponcupboard.com/reviews/2009/11/lunchables-lunch-note-promise-and-party”><img src=”http://thecouponcupboard.com/reviews/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/LunchablesButton.png”></a>

The Rules:

Oscar Mayer Lunchables Lunch Combinations Twitter Party

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

HOW TO ENTER: Beginning 9:00 PM ET November 19, 2009 and ending 10:00 PM ET November 19, 2009 Elizabeth Cron on behalf of the Lunchables brand on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ElizCron will send questions in the form of tweets to the Twitter community asking them to “tweet” answers via Twitter to win prizes. Twitterers must use the @ symbol to respond directly to @ElizCron in order to qualify for the “prizes.” E.g. A Twitterer enters by sending @ElizCron a tweet with their corresponding answer. A Twitter account is required to enter and can be opened for free at http://www.twitter.com.

GENERAL RULES: Promotion is open to U.S. residents 13 years of age or older as of November 19, 2009 except employees and their immediate families of Kraft Foods Global Inc., their subsidiaries, affiliates, parent companies, agents, families and persons living in the same household of each.

Void where prohibited. All federal, state and local laws apply. All taxes are the sole responsibility of winners.

Sponsor is not responsible for misdirected or undeliverable Twitter updates (”tweets “) or for any technical problems, malfunctions of any telephone lines, computer systems, servers, providers, hardware/software, lost or unavailable network connections or failed, incomplete, garbled or delayed computer transmission or any combination thereof. If, in the Judging Agency’s opinion, there is any suspected or actual evidence of tampering with any portion of the sweepstakes, or if technical difficulties compromise the integrity of the sweepstakes, the Judging Agency reserve the right to modify the sweepstakes in a manner deemed appropriate by the Judging Agency, in its sole discretion. By participating in this promotion, entrants agree to be bound by the Official Rules and the decisions of the Judging Agency.

JUDGING: Weber Shandwick (”Judging Agency”) will choose a winner based on the order in which their tweet is received. E.g. If a question states the fourth person to correctly answer wins, the winner’s Tweet must appear fourth on Twitter.com. Agency reserves the right to disqualify any entry that, in the sole opinion of the judges, refers, depicts or in any way reflects negatively upon the sponsor, the promotion or any other person or entity.

PRIZES:

One of three sets of ten full-value coupon for a free Lunchables product (ARV: $38.90 for 10)

One of three Flip Ultra Camcorders (ARV: $149.99 per camcorder)

One $100 Visa gift card (ARV: $100.00)

One of three back-to-school kits including: Lunchables branded lunch bags, crayon wheel, washable markers (ARV: $20.00 per kit)

Total Approximate Prize Value of all prizes during contest: $726.67

SPONSOR:

Kraft Foods Global, Inc.

Glenview, IL 60025

This Isn’t Your Fathers Radio Flyer

If you are a mom with a few young kids to tote around, chances are you either own or have heard of Radio Flyer Wagons. We certainly own one! Did you know that they make an entire line of products other than wagons?? I didn’t! Join us on Twitter on November 12th at 9pm est to find out about an awesome new product from Radio Flyer called the EZ-Rider Scooter and win one for yourself! Also learn a bit about some of the other fantastic products that Radio Flyer makes!

This is unlike any other scooter I have seen before. You may notice my son is easily distracted so I felt like I was constantly repeating him because he was riding away and talking! You can tell I am an amateur Vlogger!

As you can see, I was very impressed with this scooter. We have that “other” brand as well so it was great that we could show all of the differences.

• THE EASIEST TO RIDE 2-WHEEL SCOOTER
• EXTRA WIDE 2″ WIDE WHEELS FOR BETTER BALANCE
• LOWER DECK FOR STABILITY
• HANDLE FOLDS FOR EASY STORAGE
• FOOT BRAKE
• FOR AGES 3-8 YEARS

Join us and Radio Flyer this Thursday, November 12th at 9pm est on Twitter! All you have to to do win is RSVP below!

YOU MUST BE PRESENT AT THE PARTY TO WIN! Winner will be able to pick between Red or Pink version:

Tweetgrid for tonight is: http://is.gd/4TJdi

To be entered to win an Ez-Rider Scooter. There are only 3 ways to enter:

1. YOU MUST RSVP as your initial entry.(Leave ID)

2. Follow your party hosts, @radioflyersmile, @RadioFlyerPlay, @Delightful_Toni and @Chaotic_Barb (Leave ID)

3. Grab the Party button (Code is below) (leave link to where to find the button)

Hashtag: #radioflyer

<a href=”http://www.twitterpartyguide.com/twitter-parties/radio-flyer-ezrider-scooter-twitter-party”><img src=”http://www.twitterpartyguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/125×125_RadioFlyer.jpg”></a>

Giveaway is open to US and Canadian Residents only. Must be 18 years of age or older. We reserve the right to remove any entry from this giveaway that doesn’t have the requested information.  Please allow up to 4 weeks to receive your item. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours another winner will be chosen.

Pinching Pennies with Pork

Making smart food choices to feed a family can be challenging in today’s economic climate. For a protein choice that’s flavorful, economical and cooks in a flash, give ground pork* a try. Kid-friendly and versatile, ground pork will quickly become a grocery cart staple. For another great value option, try a pork shoulder roast.
Spicy Asian Ground Pork Burgers use Asian flavors of crushed garlic, grated ginger root, soy sauce, garlic chili paste and some fresh minced mint for flavorful patties. Grill and serve on sandwich buns for a tasty lunch or dinner.
Other ideas:

• Beyond meatballs, burgers and meat loaf (all definitely tasty with ground pork!), sprinkle cooked ground pork on pizza, rice, taco salad or a baked potato.

• Fill tacos, burritos and casseroles with ground pork.

• Stir ground pork into chili, stew, sauces, dips and sloppy Joes.

Bring on Breakfast

Breakfast can be crunch time – everyone is in a rush to get to school or work. For a quick start that’s friendly for families on-the-go, prepare these super simple Ham and Cheese Muffins – yummy buttermilk muffins that get a flavor boost from diced ham steak and Cheddar cheese.

Even better, they can be made in advance, frozen and defrosted individually for a quick breakfast days down the road!

We had a fantastic time at the twitter Party last night! We thank each and every one of who came out and celebreated National Eat Together Week with us! I know everyone is very excited to see if they won a very cool lunch tote last night! the winners are all below! If you won, please fill out our form so we can pass your information along to the sponsor. You don’t want to miss out on your prizes! If you do not respond within 48 hours we will chose another winner so MAKE SURE YOU CLAIM YOUR WIN!

WINNERS FORM – Please fill in your information if you won!

10 Lunch Tote Winners
@serenemoments2
@shawnmh
@CountrySprite
@carogonza
@permeister Chosen randomly from the RSVP list because we missed a question in all the excitement!
@LiveLaughLoveCj
@bluefroggie
@rejoiceinsaving
@lovemykeiki
@lovemy2doggies

The $100 Gift Card prize is still open to enter until Saturday! Don’t forget to download your recipes and come back and tell us which ones you picked! You can find all information on our previous posts. Please do not post entries here post as they will not count!

Cook Once, Eat Twice

Today kicks off National Eat Together Week and we are getting so excited about our twitter party on Monday night! Today is the first day that you can start downloading recipes to donate five pounds of pork (or about 25 meals) to a food bank in need which also gets you qualified to enter to win a $100 giftcard!

Here is a great Sunday meal to get you started! You have to go to TheOtherWhiteMeat.com to download the recipe!

Cook Once, Eat Twice

Planning a Sunday dinner that provides enough leftovers for a second meal on Monday saves time for any busy family. Purchasing larger cuts of pork, such as pork shoulder or a roast, can be a cost-saver too.

Recipe #1
Peppered Pork Roast: When looking for a quick and easy recipe, dry rubs are a convenient way to add flavor fast. A seasoned pepper rub on pork loin roasts packs a punch. Serve with mashed potatoes and buttered corn to complete the meal.

Recipe #2
Caribbean Pork and Mango Salad: Slice yesterday’s leftover roast and toss with mixed greens, black beans, red onion, mango and fruit-flavored vinaigrette dressing. It’s a delicious lunch, or for a dinner, pair it with cornbread muffins.

Plan Ahead: A Week’s Worth of Pork-Tastic Meals

We are getting ready to celebrate National Eat Together Week: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner with a twitter party so we want you to be able to get ready for the week!

To maximize family mealtime, do your “homework” and plan ahead. Sitting down once a week to map out a meal plan and make a grocery list will save time and money on rushed weeknights. Use this list of ingredients to create the week’s worth of meals within this book.* All these recipes will be available in the special National Eat Together Week (NETW) section on TheOtherWhiteMeat.com.

By printing or sharing any of them, you will be donating five pounds of pork to a food bank in need.

Pork
4 pork chops
2 pork loin roasts (2 lbs. ea.)
1 pound ground pork
2 pounds deli ham
1 package (8 oz.) boneless ham steak
1 package (2 oz.) pepperoni
1 package (6 oz.) Canadian bacon
Pantry
1 bag (6 oz.) walnuts
1 jar cherry preserves
1 canister pepper blend seasoning
1 can (15 oz.) black beans
1 bottle fruit-flavored vinaigrette dressing
1 bottle Italian dressing
1 bottle Worcestershire sauce
1 package (10 oz.) refrigerated pizza crust
1 can (15 oz.) prepared pizza sauce
1 bottle garlic chili paste
1 package sandwich buns (8 ct.)
1 bottle soy sauce
1 loaf whole wheat bread
1 bottle honey mustard dressing
1 jar honey
1 bottle barbecue sauce
Produce
1 small plum tomato
1 bunch fresh chives
1 bunch fresh mint
1 bunch fresh green onions
6 cups mixed greens
1 medium red onion
1 medium Spanish onion
1 green bell pepper
1 small fresh ginger root
1 head of fresh garlic
2 ripe mangos
1 apple
1 package (16 oz.) refrigerated potato wedges
Eggs & Dairy
1/2 dozen large eggs
1 pint half-and-half
1 package (8 oz.) Gruyere or Swiss cheese
1 package (8 oz.) Cheddar cheese
1 package (8 oz.) pizza blend shredded cheese
1 package (12 oz.) American cheese
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 pint buttermilk
*Assumes the pantry is already stocked with basic ingredients like flour, baking powder, vegetable oil, salt and pepper.

Review: Eating Right Kids

I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek of the Eating Right Kids line at the Team Mom Media dinner during BlogHer ‘09. Thank heavens I did! I totally lived on the granola bars during the conference.I absolutely loved the chocolate bottom with the fruit mixed in. YUMMY! and apparently something my family can eat without feeling guilty about!

According to what I learned about this new line:

A new 2009 study found that almost 1 in 5 American 4-year-olds is obese – that’s more than half a million 4-year-olds. It has also been found that overall, the number of overweight and obese children (10 to 17 years old) is at or above 30 percent in 30 states. Research has shown that overweight and obese children generally go on to become obese adults, with all the chronic, weight-related health issues that involves, such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

So, what does that have to do with this new line?

Warner Bros. Consumer Products has partnered exclusively with Safeway to offer a “better for you” eating solution for kids:  the Eating Right Kids food and beverage line, featuring the beloved Looney Tunes characters. The product line features more than 60 items across 18 categories including breakfast foods, produce, portable meals, dairy, snacks, beverages and frozen entrees. The line is available at more than 1700 Safeway locations throughout the U.S. and Canada.

But the even better news I think is:

In addition to partnering with Safeway for Eating Right Kids, Warner Bros. Consumer Products has taken the extra step of clearing retail shelves of the majority of foods featuring Looney Tunes that do not meet a “better-for-you” standard. Which makes me feel like if I see the Looney Tunes characters on a food product I am more likely to trust that it is a healthier alternative for my family.

Since these products are only available at Safeway stores right now (wondering if that means Vons as well?) head over to the Safeway section of the forum and see what deals are going on there right now!

Don’t Throw out Lettuce or Celery Again!

Summer of Savings Series

Guest post by: Cathie Frausto

I found this money saving tip by accident. We were out of storage bags so I told my husband to wrap the left over lettuce in aluminum foil He didn’t quite get it all covered so I added a second layer of foil and we put the salad in the fridge.
At the time there were just the 2 of us, now there are 5 with the addition of daughter-in-law and grandchildren, so it was almost 2 weeks later before we needed some lettuce again for tacos. I took the foil out expecting to open it up and find that slimy smelly mess of decomposed lettuce. Lo and behold the lettuce looked like I had just put it in the fridge and when I went to tear a piece off it had that crisp snap sound. We now bring our lettuce home from the store and immediately remove the plastic wrapping and double wrap it in foil, we very rarely throw out lettuce and save money by not having to buy it so often as it will last 3 to 4 weeks as long as you keep it double wrapped.

We found this also works for celery. The only difference is it works best if you wrap the celery in paper towel before double wrapping it in the foil.

Hope this helps save you some money and have a grandmalicious day!

Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh “State of the Sandwich” Giveaway!

A while back I told you Toni-Lynn and I would be visiting Madison, WI as a guest of Oscar Mayer to learn all about the benefits of brown bagging. We all know, it is a great way to save money, but honestly it can be well, BORING! While we were in Madison, I learned a lot about deli meat and I can tell you I will never buy it from the counter again. That is just gross when you think of how many times it is in and out of the fridge, put on cutters that cut other things and just the general way it sits there for days! I have honestly been converted to a sliced deli shopper.

One of the really cool parts of the trip was that all the bloggers involved brought recipes to share and we video taped them. We also got some very cool cooking lessons (which is always a bonus for me) about how to make things quick, easy, healthy but most of all a little more FUN!

I have had a ball after Madison using some of the techniques I learned there and lunch has become a much more pleasant experience in my house because of it.

Toni-Lynn and I absolutely want to pass on what we learned to you so the best way is to show you all the cool videos we made as well as our new bloggy friends. We have a great contest for one of you to win: a party pack from Oscar Mayer so you can try these out as well!

So, make sure you first watch our video’s:

And then enter to win a $25 American Express Giftcard and 5 Free Product Coupons for Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh. Also in this lunch kit you get exclusive recipes made for us in the Kraft kitchen. The dessert is to-die-for!

Want to win it? Here is how:

Just watch either Toni-Lynn’s or my video and comment about it below. You can comment on each for two entries.

Hungry for more ways to win? (you have to do the above to be eligible for these extra entries)

• Tweet about the videos using @chaotic_barb and @toni_gpb in the tweet. You can do this only once.
• Fave us on technorati.
• Subscribe to our feed.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Giveaway is open to US and Canadian Residents only. Must be 18 years of age or older. We reserve the right to remove any entry from this giveaway that doesn’t have the requested information. This giveaway ends July 30, 2009 11:59 pm EST. Please allow up to 4 weeks to receive your item. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours another winner will be chosen.

Nature Valley Nut Clusters

My family has always been a big fan of the Nature Valley granola bars. They are a regular on our Costco list so I was thrilled when MyBlogSpark sent me the new Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters to try.

They were a HUGE hit. I was actually pretty hungry when I picked up my mail from UPS that day so I opened up the Roasted Cashew ones on the way home. I had to stop myself from eating the whole bag. Seriously, they were that good! The next day my husband and kids found them and that was the end of that in our house. DH ate the entire bag of Almond ones for breakfast and by the next day all four bags were gone.

I got to try the Nut Lovers one as I snaked it out of a kids hand and they were OK but my money would go to the Cashew blend. Here is a printable coupon for $1/1 bag to get you started. But be prepared to have the whole bag gone shortly after it is opened!

EDIT TO ADD RECALL INFO
Kudos to the PR reps for Nature Valley for getting this information out about a voluntary recall.

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